Stock-agitator for drying-machines.



F. G. SARGENT.

STOCK AGITATOR FOR DRYING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I,19l3.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

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WTEU STATES PATENT UT TTCE.

FREDERICK G. SARGENT, OF WESTFOR-ID, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO C. G. SARGENTS SONS CORPORATION., OF GRANITEVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

STOCK-AGITATOR FOR DRYING MACHINES.

Application filed February 1, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK G. SAR- GENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vestford, in the county of MiddleseX and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Stock-Agitator for Drying-Machines, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention relates to machines for drying fibrous material, particularly WOOl.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide means for applying a uniform agitation to the stock all the way across the conveyer as it travels along the conveyer so as to permit the warm air to have a more complete drying action upon it, and to prevent the matting of the stock on the conveyer; to eliminate the necessity for using a series of deflectors for preventing the air from passing through the conveyer with more force at one point than another; and in short to provide a device for this purpose reduced to simple terms and being capable of operating efiiciently under ordinary conditions.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, which is a longitudinal central sectional View of a portion of a wool drier, showing a preferred form of this invention applied thereto.

The invention is shown as applied to an ordinary type of wool drier comprising a casing in which is mounted an endless belt conveyer 10 formed of screen cloth or other material adapted to permit the passage of air therethrough. This conveyer is glven acontinuous motion along the casing and sup ports the material to be dried, at the same time carrying it from one end of the casing to the other. The usual fans 11 are shown for providing the circulation of heated air through the drier. The ends of casing 16 may be open or closed so that some or no air can enter the side.

For the purpose of uniformly agitating the stock, separating and leaving it in a loose condition so that the heated air can have a maximum eflect thereon, the following mechanism is provided: Located transversely under the conveyer at any convenient point is a wrought iron pipe 12 mounted in suitable hearings on the sides of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, T1916.

Serial No. 745,560.

may each consist of a single piece of metal extending clear across the machine, or they may be made up of a plurality of pieces each extending only part way across,'but in either event they are all fixed to the pipe and rotate with it.

The fan is shown as mounted in a casing 16 provided with an inlet at 17 at one side and an outlet 18 at the top. it is possible, however, to agitate the stock by the fan without the casing, but the casing directs the air directly up through the conveyer, and forces the stock up therefrom so as to loosen it and allow it to drop back on the conveyer in a loosened condition.

For the purpose of preventing the inlet 17 from drawing air down through the conveyer, a deflector plate 19 is provided above the inlet and under the conveyer.

Under ordinary circumstances the fan may be run at such rate as to loosen the stock just sufliciently for the purpose intended, but if desired a deflector 20 can be employed above the conveyer located in po sition to receive the stock as blown up by the fan and prevent its rising too far, and to direct it back on the conveyer.

It is to be observed that the fan case 16 gradually approaches the fan toward the outlet, thus narrowing the space as the air approaohes the outlet and tending to compression. I find this gives better results than to have the fan and case concentric.

Although I have illustrated and described only one form of the invention I am aware of the fact that the details of the arrangements need not be carried out exactly as shown in the drawing, so long as the fan removes the air at right angles to its direction of motion and creates a uniform drying action from end to end of the fan and from side to side of the conveyer and the stock thereon. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein shown and described, but

What I do claim is g 1. In a drying apparatus for fibrous materials, the combination with a traveling conveyer for the material to be dried, and a rotary fan located transversely with respect to said conveyer and extending across the same below it, a casing for said fan eccentrically located with respect thereto having the space between the casing and the center of the fan narrowing toward the outlet for causing a uniform current of air to pass upwardly through the conveyer all the Way across it, the casing having an outlet just under the conveyer opening forwardly with respect to the direction of travel of the conveyer, an inlet opening downwardly at the forward side of the casin and a plate just under the conveyer and above said inlet.

2. In a machine for drying fibrous materials, the combination with a traveling conveyer for supporting the material to be dried, of a shaft arranged transversely to the conveyer and at a short distance below the same, a fan on the shaft from side to side of the conveyor forcausing a current of air to pass upwardly through the conveyer from below, and a casing around said fan having outlets directly under the bottom of said conveyer and slanted forwardly with respect to the direction of motion of the conveyer, and a deflector above the con veyer slanted upwardly in the same direction.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscrib ing witnesses.

FREDERICK G. SARGENT.

Witnesses:

CHAS. G. SARGENT, FRANK L. FURBUSH. 

